 I received an advanced copy of Seek To Be Wise by Chess Britt from GreenLeaf Book Group for the purpose of reviewing it ahead of its release on July 7th. Overall, the book was a quick, easy read with some good commonsense advice and inspiring quotes. As Britt states in the book, "Wise people understand that it is the simple things in life that are extraordinary," and that "the potential for finding wisdom is unlimited."
My only criticism is the issue of not citing others' words and works that Britt used within the book. In the forward, Britt is upfront about it, explaining, "I will give no credit for quotes or ideas," reasoning that "nobody's ego needs to be stroked." To be honest, I found that to be lazy writing, as well as unprofessional. We are taught throughout school (and life) to do the work of researching and citing work/words that are not our own, otherwise it is plagiarism at best, theft at worst. The majority of the errors and missing citations are easy google searches, so I'm not sure what the real issue was. For example, on page 11, Britt quotes "an old country song" with a few (mis)quoted lyrics. Even so, a simple google search found the song in question, Roy Clark's "Right or Left at Oak Street". Another error can be found on page 90, where he states that, "Tim McGraw wrote a song for his daughters..." He is referring to "Humble & Kind", which was actually written by Lori McKenna, McGraw merely recorded it. There are other examples of un-cited work, and honestly, this glaring issue got in the way of my giving the book more than a 3 star review. As a writer (I use that term in the loosest sense of the word) myself, I can't imagine including other people's words and works in my own work without giving proper credit/citation. I can only imagine how I would feel if someone were to claim my work as their own, which is essentially what you're doing any time you were another person's work without citing it. Other than the citing issue, Seek To Be Wise is an enjoyable, worthwhile read.
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 Is it just me or do the months seem to be flying by? I managed to read four books for June, though I'm still coming to terms with the fact that I can't seem to process nearly as many books as I used to. As you can see by the picture above, I read two physical books, but I also read one on my kindle and listened to another on Audible! The audio book was my first time using Audible and I have to say, I liked it. Definitely opens up another, more accessible way to consume books.
As June marked the anniversary of D-Day, I decided to pick up a book that had been sitting on my shelf, unread for quite some time. George Wilson's If You Survive is a World War Two memoir that takes the reader through Wilson's service during the war, detailing events, as well as his thoughts and emotions surrounding them. I found Wilson's approach to his memoir candid, honest, and raw. He doesn't sugar coat or glorify what he and the men he served with went through. Overall, I found it an interesting and eye-opening account of some of the events and battles of World War Two, and what the men who fought in it experienced, from a man who was actually there and lived to tell. As I mentioned before, I also had my first Audible experience this month. I signed up for a free trial and listened to Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me, as I have decided to make a deliberate effort to read more books by People of Color. The author himself narrates the book, which I believe adds to the listening experience. I found the book interesting and enlightening. It opened my mind and exposed me to a different perspective and different beliefs. While I may not have agreed with some of what was said in the book, I realize that it wasn't important whether I agreed with the message or not. What was important was that I heard it. I believe it is important to expose yourself to differing cultures, views, and beliefs, even if it makes you uncomfortable, to gain a better understanding of what makes people who they are. The third book I wanted to discuss here is Chess Britt's Seek To Be Wise. I received an advanced copy from GreenLeaf Book Group for the purpose of reviewing it ahead of its release on July 7th. Overall, the book was a quick, easy read with some good commonsense advice and inspiring quotes. As Britt states in the book, "Wise people understand that it is the simple things in life that are extraordinary," and that "the potential for finding wisdom is unlimited." My only criticism is the issue of not citing others' words and works that Britt used within the book. In the forward, Britt is upfront about it, explaining, "I will give no credit for quotes or ideas," reasoning that "nobody's ego needs to be stroked." To be honest, I found that to be lazy writing, as well as unprofessional. We are taught throughout school (and life) to do the work of researching and citing work/words that are not our own, otherwise it is plagiarism at best, theft at worst. The majority of the errors and missing citations are easy google searches, so I'm not sure what the real issue was. Honestly, this glaring issue got in the way of my giving the book more than a 3 star review. As a writer (I use that term in the loosest sense of the word) myself, I can't imagine including other people's words and works in my own work without giving proper credit/citation. I can only imagine how I would feel if someone were to claim my work as their own, which is essentially what you're doing any time you use another person's work without citing it. Other than the citing issue, Seek To Be Wise is an enjoyable, worthwhile read.  First off, I've decided to format this feature differently. When I first switched to doing my Books of the Month feature instead of a full time book blog, I would just list off a few of the books I've read with a picture of the cover and a paragraph or two about the book and whether I liked it or not. I've decided that I'd rather just write out a more constructed feature that flowed. I will talk about the books I've read in a more conversational manner, and the header photo for each month will be of the books featured. I think it'll work out better this way and be more enjoyable to read... Hopefully!
I spent most of the month of May, and this year in general, going back to books that I've read in the past. I've rediscovered the joy of rereading great books! For May I found myself returning to the catalog of one of my favorite authors, Karen Witemeyer. I own all of her books and I devoured, once again, a good number of them this month, as well as her latest book that releases in June. Among the books from Witemeyer's catalog that I reread this month were the first two books in her Archer Brothers series, Short-Straw Bride and Stealing the Preacher. Short-Straw Bride was the first Witemeyer book I had read and, of course, the one that got me hooked. I loved the Archer Brothers series, and was pleased to find that my memory of enjoying both books, which follow the Archer brothers with three books devoted to three out of the four brothers (the fourth brother, Jim's story is given to us as a background story in mostly the first novel, as well as being mentioned in the others), held up. I also thoroughly enjoyed reading about the adventures of Darius Thronton, a man obsessed with scientific experiments that could change the shipping industry and the fiery shipping heiress, Nicole Renard in Full Steam Ahead, as well as the mystery and dangers surrounding the ladies of Harper's station and Malachi Shaw, the man brought in to help, in No Other Will Do. Witemeyer is an expert weaver of interesting and delightful stories, truly an author readers can rely on to deliver great reads, and her latest release, At Love's Command*, is no exception. I am honored to have been on Karen's launch team for her last three releases, including At Love's Command, and enjoy the privilege of getting to read her books ahead of release. Another new-to-me book that I read in May was Peter Wohlleben's The Hidden Life of Trees, a truly excellent and eye-opening read. I've always been a tree lover, I can't really explain why, I've just always appreciated their quiet strength and sturdiness, and the fact that you feel like you can rely on them to be there through life. The Hidden Life of Trees made me love and respect trees even more than I already did. Wohlleben writes in a conversational way that draws you in and keeps you interested through to the end as he takes you through the surprisingly intricate and complicated lives of various species of trees and their impact on their ecosystems. I'd highly recommend it. I have found myself reading less books per month, mainly due to changes in how my brain functions now and the fact that it seems to process information a bit slower than it used to, but really, that seems to be a nice change of pace. I find I'm forced to take my time with them and as a result, I savor books more, rather than devouring them in one sitting (though sometimes I still do that!). It's been an interesting development in my reading journey... I'm looking forward to seeing what June holds for book adventures! ;) *I wrote a separate review for At Love's Command, click the title (link is embedded) above to read it!  I officially have a new favorite book. Karen Witemeyer gives readers yet another deliciously wonderful read, and a few new swoon worthy heroes, with her latest, At Love's Command. I've been a fan of Witemeyer's books for almost a decade now, and having never met one of her books that I didn't adore, she quickly became one of the few authors of which I'll blindly buy their new releases with full confidence, knowing that it won't disappoint. At Love's Command is absolutely no exception to this rule and certainly delivered above and beyond my already high expectations.
Matthew Hanger is a hero of heroes and could make even the stoniest heart swoon. A seasoned ex-cavalry officer turned mercenary, Matthew has made it his life's mission to defend the innocent and obtain justice for the oppressed. Leading his now legendary band of mercenaries, Hanger's Horsemen, they soon find themselves in need of saving when one of his men takes a bullet and is in need of a doctor... Witemeyer expertly weaves four distinct personalities in the Horsemen's Matthew Hanger, Luke "Preach" Davenport, Mark Wallace, and Jonah Brooks, to the point where the reader feels as if they are old friends, easily recognizable through mannerisms and speech. I personally found myself drawn to both Matthew and Luke/Preach the most, and am very happy that Luke "Preach" Davenport will be closing out the Hanger's Horsemen series with his story. The heroine of At Love's Command, Dr. Josephine Burkett is a woman used to men discrediting her skills due to her gender, what she wasn't expecting was for a rugged mercenary to change his mind in a heartbeat and to assist her in surgery. Matthew's dedication to his friend during recovery quickly earns Dr. Jo's respect, and when her wayward brother is abducted, he becomes her only hope for rescue. When things go terribly wrong, placing Josephine herself in the crossfire, Matthew faces having to sacrifice everything, including his men, to save her. A thrillingly delightful read, At Love's Command is the beginning of another intoxicating series. That's truly been one of only two complaints I have when it came to Karen Witemeyer's novels, you simply cannot put them down. Each novel is so addicting that you simply have to read it in one sitting. There's no walking away from a Witemeyer story before you reach the end. It actually pains me to do so. The second complaint is simply having to wait not-so-patiently for the next.. ;) Make sure to grab your copy! Out June 2nd!  I decided to combine my March & April book post simply because I haven't done much reading the past two months. In February I read a total of 16 books, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit (or at least became a huge deal) in March. Since the pandemic and endless uncertainties that it has brought, I haven't been able to really truly focus on anything except manual work. I'm not sure why..... Maybe it's just that I don't have enough energy to process books on top of all the information and concerns surrounding this pandemic. Whatever the reason, I've seen my reading drop off rather drastically, but have no fear, I seem to be getting back on track. Anyway, I'd like to share a few of the books I've read in March and April with you all. :) Hope you find a good read!  John Mark Comer's Garden City: Work, Rest, and the Art of Being Human is now on my list of most profound, enlightening, and enriching books that I've read. I ended up reading Garden City with my Bible open and gel pen in hand, so that I could jot down notes and wisdom from the book in the margins. It is packed with interesting information and will change the way you go about life, work, and rest. This is the kind of book that feeds the soul and opens the mind. I'd highly recommend it!  All Shall Be Well by Catherine McNeil came to me right when I needed a balm to the soul. A sweet person sent me this book as a way to boost my spirits during this anxiety ridden time of the COVID-19 pandemic. They knew it was on my book wish-list. All Shall Be Well is a beautiful booked split into four parts, one for each season. They draws parallels between the annual seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter) and the seasons in a person's life. Though I particularly resonated with the Spring section, as I feel I'm in the late stages of that season in life AND happen to be experiencing the early stages of the natural season currently, I found each section nourishing and enlightening. I can't recommend this book enough. It is beautiful and simple, soul nourishing and soothing, earthy and tangible. This is one of those books I plan to return to time and again.  This wonderful story couldn’t have come at a better time. I can’t think of a better way to deal with the current events of this season than to get lost in Dwight and Mary’s story, and Linda’s superb way of spinning a tale allows you to do just that. If only for a while, reality fades away, and Dwight, Mary, and the now familiar town of Brownville come into focus. Soon you’re right beside earthy, relatable characters, enjoying a mix of romance and mystery. We look on as Dwight and Mary weather life’s storms, wondering if they’ll be able to ride them out together, all the while trying to puzzle out the identity of the mysterious person who has taken to stalking the town… Ah, yes, you couldn’t ask for a better story to escape headlong into.  Since shuttering Modern Jo March Blog in January, I've found that my love of reading has been renewed. For a little over a year, reading felt more like a chore than a pleasure due to the burnout of trying to keep up with submissions and the content on the blog, but now that *MJM is retired, I've been able to reclaim my love of reading. As a result of closing down the book blog due to an effort to consolidate, I've decided to do a monthly feature here that will cover the books that I've read each month, that way I don't give up sharing books completely. :) This month, I read 16 books! As I said before, I've found a renewed love for reading and blasted through so many good books. I found myself reading a few new reads, along with revisiting older books that I had read in the past and loved. I've chosen a few highlights to share here...
*To read more about Modern Jo March's retirement and why I made the decision, click here.
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AuthorBorn and raised in Upstate NY, Liz is a freelance writer. She has written for websites, blogs, and magazines for the last 10 years. She works as a freelance writer and editor, as well as a proofreader and beta reader for several authors, all the while working on her first book. Archives
July 2020
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